Deserted Roads
by SmotherFate
Summary: A short AU if the ToS characters lived in our world. Circulating around Lloyd, Colette and Genis, and an unlikely occupation.


"Arrrr," Lloyd groans as he leans heavily over the steering wheel, "I'm bored," he moans out, his head sinking lower onto the black plastic.

"Oh god, stop complaining," Genis demands exasperatedly, only lifting his head up for a moment before returning to the glow of the monitor, a notebook in hand.

Colette looks between the two, then lets herself drop back onto the passenger seat, the cushion giving out a soft, airy 'sigh' from the light impact. She looks out unto the deserted road they find themselves parked aside of, then turns to Lloyd with a small smile.

"Lloyd, why don't we get some snacks? There's a gas station just down the road," She suggests thoughtfully, her usual cheerful countenance never dampening from Lloyd's impatient attitude or his and Genis' bickering.

Lloyd lifts his head up a little just to see over the edge of the steering wheel, through the windshield at the dark yet clear road ahead with a blank expression on his face, "Alright," he agrees with less than optimal enthusiasm.

Colette smiles obligingly before placing her video camera softly on the dashboard besides her digital camera and letting herself out of the car, stumbling a little as she does.

Before following suit, Lloyd looks back towards Genis, "The usual?"

"Yeah, thanks," he distractingly utters.

Lloyd pulls himself of his seat and stretches before closing the car door, leaving his coat on the driver's seat. His clothes rustle violently against the wind as he starts walking along the side on the seemingly barren road.

"It's really windy; maybe you should take your coat?" Colette proposes worriedly, noting Lloyd's cargo shorts _and_ sleeveless hoodie; contrast to her long sleeved white top and faded blue, denim overalls along with a big, baggy coat.

"That's okay, we won't be that long," he reassures, feeling slightly more energetic.

After a small track they reach the outside of a greyscale building where dust sweeps and dances around it mesmerizingly, however, despite the dreary, maybe even creepy, sight the two walk in without a second thought.

Surprisingly, the interior, unlike the exterior, is amazingly brighter and modern looking, with a white-tiled glistening floor, clean refrigerators and well maintained shelves.

As soon as the two enter Lloyd starts with the soft drinks as Colette finds a basket for each hand then goes over to Lloyd to hand one over to him before going her separate way.

They leisurely, yet efficiently collect their usual food and drinks going along every isle before trudging up to the cashier with four full baskets and heavily plunking them onto the counter.

* * *

Genis cricks his neck roughly as he stretches his back against his seat in an attempt to ease his body from its discomfort. He lays himself down along the back seats both to straighten his back and to rest.

He closes his eyes grateful for the quiet with only the low hum of his monitor. However, one eye snaps open as the NOAA radio begins to buzz and the robotic male voice begins to play.

" _A heavy storm is coming in quickly in the Tampa,__Florida area being measured at 72mph worryingly close to becoming a scale one cyclone..." _

Both eyes snap open as he sits up quickly, whipping his phone out.

* * *

"So that's $41.52," the cashier tells them attempting a polite smile.

Lloyd searches for change as Colette's phone begins to chime its melody indicating a phone call.

"Geni-" she stops, probably from being interrupted, "L-Lloyd! One's heading somewhere close by! We have to hurry!" She explains loudly shoving her phone, which she forgets to turn off, into the front pocket of her overalls.

"What?!" He shouts scooping all the items off the counter into the given plastic carrier bags although a lot of them just fall to the floor instead.

"Colette, we gotta go!" He calls already exiting the shop carrying all four shopping bags while Colette's still trying to retrieve the abandoned items.

"Coming!" She replies thanking the cashier man before tumbling through the door with her hands full.

The man behind the counter stares where Colette used to stand in blank bewilderment.

The wind has picked up a great deal from before and it's a battle to get back to their modified jeep.

Lloyd gets there first opening one of the back doors before throwing the bags on Genis, "Wah!" then slams the door close and leaps into the driver's seat.

"Come on, Colette!" He shouts out the window seeing her struggle against the blustery weather's harsh turbulence.

He turns the key in the ignition as Colette rams herself into the car.

"Go, Lloyd, go!" Genis cries while Colette starts up her video camera.

"Haha," he laughs excitedly, hurtling down the road.

"There! Go left, Lloyd!" Colette instructs, "It's the cumulonimbus!" she beams.

"The funnel clouds have already lowered," Genis notes in awe, "it's started,"

"Wahooooo!" Lloyd cheers as he pushes his head out of the window to get a better look.

"Lloyd, you're driving!" Genis panics.

"You getting this, Colette?" Lloyd yells out in exhilaration against the whipping wind.

"Yep!" Colette confirms simply with a cheery smile.

"Look how low the clouds are!" Lloyd points out loudly still smiling widely.

The wall cloud, the base of the cloud's structure, began pulling in other clouds, which were clumping together forming an even larger mound. It was dark, and tremendous. An intimidating sight. A thin tube like cloud, protruding from the chaotic mass, was violently churning its way to the dry ground crafting a tunnel from the sky onto the earth.

"Lloyd! How close are you going to get?" Genis shouts, pulling himself up in between the two front seats, "We'll get sucked up if you're not careful."

"Genis, don't worry! This isn't the first time I've done this,"

"I know! That's what I'm saying-"

"Guys!" Colette desperately calls out, bringing their attention to a large grey piece of debris coming their way.

Lloyd quickly puts the breaks on, Genis almost going through the windshield, "What are you doing, Lloyd?!" Then reverses back just about missing the questionable piece of wreckage.

"Whoa!" Lloyd exclaims as he sees the tornado steadily managing its way towards them.

The base of the tornado had already connected with the earth, stirring up dust and weak pieces of ground as it slowly spun towards them and although it was still quite a distance away, the velocity of the wind was so strong it was effecting such a large diameter around it making it hard for the three to get any closer.

In an attempt to get a better angle, Lloyd begins to drive the jeep around the tornado on the outskirts of the chaos.

"Lloyd! We'll need to take more photos from a distance! We need to find somewhere to set up!" Colette tells him.

"Alright!" However, at that point a sudden large cloud of dust blew towards them, covering their car and sight, and when it finally blustered away…

"Wah!" Lloyd cries out as the tornado was revealed to them again, advancing faster heading directly for them.

"Lloyd!" Colette calls out worriedly.

"I'm going, I'm going, I'm going!" He repeats nervously, frantically steering the car away from the mess.

Within the next twenty-five minutes, the group got a safe distance away but were close enough to get some good footage, photographs and to collect a good amount of information on the tornado's properties.

And when the cyclone died down the three were left dishevelled and surrounded by turned up pieces of loose earth and foliage. Fortunately the storm was a good range away from any civilian habitats.

For a short while Lloyd, Colette and Genis look out to where the chaos had been minutes ago.

Breaking the silence, Genis sighs in exhaustion before pushing himself off the jeep to return to the inside of the car.

"Let's eat."


End file.
